Fire-escape.



' "no. 730,072. PATENTED JUNE 2 1 903;.

J. .ADEN.

FIRE Eso'APE.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 9, 1903.

I0 IODEL.

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UNITED STATES I Patented Jul... 2. i903.

" ATENT OFFICE.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.730,072., dated June 2, 1903.

Application filed April 9. 1903- Serial No. 151,717. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JURGEN ADEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gothenburg, in the county of Dawson and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in fire-escapes; and its object 18 to provide a device of this character whichis simple and inexpensive in construction and which can be readily attached at a point adjacent to a window-sill. v v

A further object is to provide a governor of novel form whereby the unwinding of the cable from the fire-escape may be readily controlled.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in providing a reel having a gear revoluble therewith and meshing with a smaller gear, to which is secured a series of arms. Upon each arm is pivoted a shoe, the inner end of which'is connected to the inner end of its arm by means of a coiled spring. A plate is secured to one end of the frame of the fire-escape and is adapted to be contacted successively by said shoes, and thereby retard the rotation of the arms and the gears.

Theinvention also consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the several parts, which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings,.Figure 1 is a side eleva: tion of my improved fire-escape in position, and Fig. 2 is a planview thereof.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference, 1 is a preferably rectangular frame formed of any suitable material and having a crossstrip 2 at the front end thereof which isadapted to be secured in any suitable mannor to the inner surface of a window-sill. Suitable braces *3 are connected to the inner end of the frame and serve to support the same in a horizontal position. A reel 4 is journaled within the frame 1 at a point adjacent to the forward end thereof, and the gear 5 is secured to and revolves with the shaft 6 of this reel. A smaller gear 7 is journaled upon the side of frarnel and meshes with the gear 5, and arms 8, preferably three in number, are secured to the outer face of the gear 7 and are provided at points of connection with a laterally-extending lug 9. Ears 10, having apertures therein, extend from lug 9 and each is connected to one end of a coiled spring 11. The other ends of these springs engage eyes 12, formed at the inner ends of slotted strips 13, which are pivoted to the arms 8 at points adjacent to the outer ends thereof and provided with shoes 13* at the ends thereof.

A strip 15 is secured at its ends, as shown at 16, to one side of the frame 1, and this strip is substantially bow-shaped in form, and the inner end 1d thereof lies normally in the paths of the shoes 13. A roller 18 is preferably mounted at the forward end of frame 1, so as to hold cable 19 of the fireescape out of contact with the end of the frame. Asshown in Fig. 2, a flange 20 incloses the reel 4: at the center thereof, and instead of providing one cable 19 two are arranged thereon in such a manner as to alternately wind and unwind.

When one of the cables 19 is unwoundfrom reel4, the gear 5 ofsaidreel will cause gear 7 to rotate rapidly and carry arms 8' therewith. The shoes 13 will be brought successively into contact with the spring-strip 15 and will be caused to tilt and slide upon their pivots, this movement being retarded by the coiled springs 11. The shoes will slide over the strip and will be held firmly pressed thereagainst during such movement by centrifugal force assisted by the pull of springs 11. It will be understood'that the friction resulting from the contact of the shoeszupon the strip 15 will retard the rotation of reel 4, and unwinding of the cable is thus regulated automatically.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of myinvention; but I do not desire to be limited thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made there-,

in without departingfrom the spirit or sacritherefore reserve the right to make such a1- terations and changes as fairly fall within the spirit of the invention.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a fire-escape, the combination with a frame having a reel thereon, of a rotary arm adapted to be operated by the reel, a shoe pivoted to the arm, a spring connection between the inner ends of the shoe and arm, and a strip secured to the frame and in the path of the shoe.

2. In a fire-escape, the combination with a frame having a reel journaled therein, of a gear revoluhle with the reel, a second gear mounted upon the frame and meshing with the gear of the reel, arms secured to and revoluhle with the second gear, shoes pivoted to, and slidably mounted on, the outer ends of the arms, a lug upon the inner ends of said arms, spring connections between the inner ends of the shoes and the lug, and a strip secured to the frame and in the path of the shoes.

3. In a fire-escape, the combination with a frame having a reel journaled therein, of a rotary arm adapted to be operated by said reel, a lug upon the inner end of the arm, a

slotted strip pivoted to, and adapted to slide 

